Let's make corporations truly like human beings...

[c1ue]

Since they can contribute campaign money as 'freedom of speech', why not 'three strikes' and 'illegal aliens'?

http://thinkprogress.org/2011/04/25/...bson-ge-taxes/

GIBSON: I think there’s a rational way to go forward that we’re going to be able to bring closure to this issue. I tell you there is one thing that you’re saying that’s true. there are people in our country that are not paying taxes because they’re illegal. And that’s gotta be addressed[...]

AUDIENCE MEMBER: You mean like GE?! [some laughter and light applause from audience]

GIBSON: Well, GE needs to pay their fair share, too. No, I support that, too.

[thriftyandboringinohio]

Re: Let's make corporations truly like human beings...

Good idea. It's always bothered me that corporations are immortal.
Let's limit their working life span to a maximum of 75 years, and then kill them without advanced warning, as if they'd had a sudden heart attack.
Oh, oh OH! ..and when they do something wrong, shut down their commercial activity for 6 to 10 years, like any other criminal -no sales, no income, no employees.

[drumminj]

Re: Let's make corporations truly like human beings...

Oh, oh OH! ..and when they do something wrong, shut down their commercial activity for 6 to 10 years, like any other criminal -no sales, no income, no employees.

I actually agree with this ones. If the "owners" get limited liability, that's fine, but then the corporation should be the one to bear the punishment the owners would have. So, perhaps the corporation "goes to jail" and can't operate for a number of years. All assets are frozen, etc.

I think that's a reasonable compromise for limiting the individual liability of the humans.

[DSpencer]

Re: Let's make corporations truly like human beings...

Good idea. It's always bothered me that corporations are immortal.
Let's limit their working life span to a maximum of 75 years, and then kill them without advanced warning, as if they'd had a sudden heart attack.
Oh, oh OH! ..and when they do something wrong, shut down their commercial activity for 6 to 10 years, like any other criminal -no sales, no income, no employees.

While I'm guessing these aren't entirely serious suggestions...

I'm sure the people who would lose their job without advanced warning because their corporation had exceeded it's lifespan would be really excited about this idea.

I'm more in favor of punishing the individuals anyway. For most "crimes" the problem is not that the laws don't exist, it's that they are not enforced. In theory, limited liability doesn't mean that you can commit fraud and get away with it even if you are working for a corporation. We just have a corrupt government that lets it happen that way.

Reminds me of an idea I read once that says you can never eliminate anarchy from society because at a certain level there is no higher authority to enforce the law.

[don]

Re: Let's make corporations truly like human beings...

Good idea. It's always bothered me that corporations are immortal.

Once upon a time corporations, seen as entities of potential damage to the body economic, were tightly limited to the project that spawned them. Incorporate to build a bridge . . . and then be gone!

[bagginz]

Re: Let's make corporations truly like human beings...

Once upon a time corporations, seen as entities of potential damage to the body economic, were tightly limited to the project that spawned them. Incorporate to build a bridge . . . and then be gone!

Indeed.

Here's an excellent documentary on corporations: